WASHINGTON, D.C. (Tuesday, September 16, 2008) - The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) today announced the first 76 companies selected through a competitive screening process to present at the Seventh Annual BIO Investor Forum. Presenting companies will be asked to focus on near-term clinical catalysts and accomplishments across therapeutic fields and areas of unmet medical need.

A total of 190 presenting companies will be selected and posted on the conference website on a rolling basis. To view the latest list, please visit http://investorforum.bio.org.

Select late-stage private and emerging public biotech companies were nominated by an Advisory Committee, comprised of members from top-tier firms from the buy-side, sell-side, venture capital and private equity communities:

The BIO Investor Forum is a national investor conference featuring leading private and emerging public companies. The meeting attracts sophisticated healthcare venture and private equity investors, buy-side investors and research analysts. In addition, the BIO Investor Forum draws business development executives from leading global pharmaceutical and mature biotechnology companies.

This year’s meeting will continue to explore current and competitive therapeutic development trends and investment opportunities in life sciences through therapeutic, business and plenary panels. The conference will also feature BIO’s web-based partnering system to arrange one-on-one meetings between registered companies, investors, and industry business development, licensing and therapeutic franchise heads.

To learn more about the BIO Investor Forum, including registration and program information, please visit http://investorforum.bio.org/. Registration is complimentary for qualified investors and credentialed members of the media.

The following companies will present at the Seventh Annual BIO Investor Forum:

BIO represents more than 1,200 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare, agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also produces the BIO International Convention, the world’s largest gathering of the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and partnering meetings held around the world.